books
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The History of Literature #482 — Moby Dick – 10 Essential Questions (Part Two)
Is Moby-Dick truly the Great American Novel? How did contemporary critics miss it? When (and how) was the book rediscovered? Jacke goes through all this and more, as he continues the countdown of Top 10 Essential Questions about Herman Melville’s 1851 masterpiece. Additional listening: Help support the show at patreon.com/literature or historyofliterature.com/donate. The History of Literature Podcast is a member Continue reading
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The History of Literature #481 — Moby Dick – 10 Essential Questions (Part One)
Here we go! Moby-Dick; or, the Whale (1851) by Herman Melville is one of the greatest – and strangest – novels you will ever read. Call it what you will – a literary leviathan, an intellectual chowder, an early entry in the Great American Novel sweepstakes – or don’t call it anything, just call the narrator Ishmael Continue reading
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The History of Literature #480 — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (with Ritchie Robertson)
In 1878, critic Matthew Arnold wrote, “Goethe is the greatest poet of modern times… because having a very considerable gift for poetry, he was at the same time, in the width, depth, and richness of his criticism of life, by far our greatest modern man.” In this episode, Jacke talks to Ritchie Robertson, author of Goethe: Continue reading
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The History of Literature #479 — Auden and the Muse of History (with Susannah Young-ah Gottlieb)
W.H. Auden (1907-1973) was one of the twentieth-century’s greatest poets – and also one of the most engaged. As he struggled to make sense of the rise of fascism, two world wars, and industrialized murder, his focus turned to the poet’s responsibility in the face of unthinkable horrors. How does a poet begin to address Continue reading
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The History of Literature #478 — The Diaries of Franz Kafka (with Ross Benjamin)
Kafka! The avatar of anxiety! He’s long been one of our favorites here at the History of Literature Podcast. In this episode, Jacke talks to translator Ross Benjamin about the new edition of The Diaries of Franz Kafka, published by Schocken Books, which includes some material available in English for the first time. “Readers will welcome Continue reading
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The History of Literature #477 — Does Edith Wharton Hate You? (Part 2 – “The Vice of Reading”)
Does Edith Wharton hate us? That’s a provocative question – but perhaps one that Wharton herself provoked, with her essay on the readers who damaged literature and her fiction satirizing the same. In this two-part series, Jacke takes a look at the type of readers targeted by Wharton: not the readers of trash fiction, whom Continue reading
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The History of Literature #476 — Does Edith Wharton Hate You? (Part 1 – “Xingu”)
Does Edith Wharton hate us? That’s a provocative question – but perhaps one that Wharton herself provoked, with her essay on the readers who damaged literature and her fiction satirizing the same. In this two-part series, Jacke takes a look at the type of readers targeted by Wharton: not the readers of trash fiction, whom Continue reading
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The History of Literature #475 — Portable Magic – A History of Books and Their Readers (with Emma Smith)
As we all know, the text of a book can possess incredible powers, transporting readers across time and space. But what about the books themselves? In this episode, Jacke talks to author Emma Smith (This Is Shakespeare) about her new book, Portable Magic: A History of Books and Their Readers, which provides a material history of Continue reading
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The History of Literature #474 — Herman Melville
In this episode, Jacke takes a look at the life of Herman Melville, author of Moby-Dick and many other works. Melville experienced ups and downs, from a fancy Manhattan childhood to financial ruin and back again. Once a literary celebrity, heralded for his early novels based on his experiences living on tropical islands with cannibals, he was Continue reading
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The History of Literature #473 — A Hemingway Short Story (with Mark Cirino)
Jacke is joined by Professor Mark Cirino, host of the One True Podcast and editor of One True Sentence: Writers & Readers on Hemingway’s Art, for a discussion of Hemingway’s classic short story about World War I and recovery in an Italian hospital, “In Another Country.” (If you haven’t read the story in a while don’t worry – we Continue reading
Jacke Wilson 